underbill



y rf

rr. s. `NDERHILL,or sr. JoHNsvmLE, NEvvfronin `s" i `BEEHIVE.

specification of Letters :Patent Nb. adem, Adat-ea Deeemberiis, 1859.

To all whom it mail] concern. c j

Be it known that I, T. S. UNnERHiLL, of St. J ohnsville, in the county of Montgomery and State of New York, have inventedla new and Improved Beehive; and I `do `hereby de* clare thatthe following is a full, elear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings,.making a part of this specification, in which-4, l

Figure l, is a side view of my invention.` Fig. 2 1s a side `sectional view of dltto, .taken in the line y fg, Fig. 4. Fig. 3, `is a plan or top view of ditto, with the case moved back to expose the combs. section of ditto, in a closed state taken in the line m, ai, Fig. 2. i

Similar letters of reference "indicate cor* responding parts in the several gures.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of bee-hives which are provided with movable frames to support the combs.

The object of the invention is to render the frames more accessible than hitherto and also capable of being manipulated or adjusted with much greater facility, so as to admit of the combs being thoroughly examined and removed if necessary with great celerity.

The invention also has for its object the varying of the capacity of the hive to suit the size of the colony, so that the temperature of the former may be kept in a proper even state favorable for the health and comfort of its occupants.

The invention further has for its obj ect an economical means for admitting of the adjustment or manipulation of the hive necessary for the examination of its contents and the operating or working therewith.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention I will proceed to describe it.

A, represents the main portion or body of the hive which may be of quadrilateral form and of the usual or any proper dimensions. This main portion A, may be provided with a spare honey box B, placed on the top of A, and communicating with it by suitable openings a, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. The main portion A, of the hive rests on a base board I), which is provided with a slide b, is perforated and has a wire cloth c, over the perforation to prevent the ingress of millers and other intruders when the slide is Withdrawn to admit air-see Fig. 2. Proper openings d, are made in the front of the hive These rods It, `are `attached `toi pinsvoi' M*plugs 11,.

Fig. 4, is a horizontal `to .permit the bees Sto :passin andout, and. one f side e, of the main portionA, `ofthe hive is` not permanently attached to it but is allowed i to slide in andoutof A, andmay..besecuredF` therein at any desired pointby pinsff, which` pass through holes @inthe front andiback: sides of A. `Within the main portion Aiof the hive and near one :side a) seriesiof vertical rods 71 are placed. asfshoyvn `in Figs `3,=1`andi1 which are fitted in `proper holes `in: lthegbase` board D, and 4maybe"readily lifted `toutvat: y pleasure. On `each rodit, a vertical iframe E, is hung. These frames are simply wooden '7o` bars secured "togetherin "quadrilateralform, :i Il The rodsih, passthroughfeyes f7', attached tof` y@ one` sidewof the? frames, r the eyes fitting loosely onthe rods.` i l Thettrames lareretained." z. at an equal and suitable distance apart byf7`f5j pins le, at their lower ends, at the sides oppof y site to `those connected to the rods JL. `The pins Ic, fit in holesin the uppersurface of the base board, Thepupper part of each frame y is provided `with a horizontal pin Z, which pins serve to keep themin a proper relative position with each other as shown clearlylin 1 Fig. 2. The front and back sidesof the main portion A, extend down a trie belowf l i the other two sides, and the formerare` fitted in grooves m, m, made in the upper surface of the base board.l`` The baseboard `I),is fit"` ted by pins n, to asquare frame F, which may rest on knobs or short supports o, one at i each corner, and to the frame F, and at each"991 side of the base board D, a board is fitted by dowel pins, one board G,-being provided y with grooves m', m', which correspond with the grooves m, m, in the base board. i The other board H, has afsmoothor` plane upper y surface. The bees build their combs `withinQthe frames E, the combs `of thefseveralframesfyf` being separate, that f is tosay, `not connected 3f in any way, the bees` having passage` ways` `1t()` between the combs. (When it isdesired to y F inspect the combs, hooks p, which secure `the y main portion A, of the* hive to 'thebaser y i board, by fitting` instaples g, attached there-f, Y 5 10 I to, are unhooked, the sidee,`of thepartA", removed and the body moved to onegside and over onthe board Gr, as shown inlFiggB. i By this arrangement it". will be seen that the interior of the hives is fully exposed and all y y the frames E, rendered very` accessible. The"` comb of each frame E, may be fullyqin-Y` spected by swinging them out as,shown,in.`

Fig. 3, and if necessary each frame can be slipped 0E from its rod lz., and moth or other intruders removed. In fact by this invention the hive is placed fully under the control of the owner, and the frames E, may be manipulated with such facility that by the aid of any ordinary soother, such as tobacco, the bees will be perfectly tractable and not in the least irritable. In case a colony of bees has more combs than they can occupy or is necessary for them to have the frames E, containing the empty combs can be removed and also their rods h, and the slide e, shoved inward and secured by the pins f, so that the remaining filled combs will occupy the whole hive. This is an essential feature of the invention for the hive is kept at a proper temerature in winter b the animal heat of the ees and if the hive 1s larger than the size of the colony requires, the latter may perish on account of being unable to keep warm. The end pieces Gr, H, serve to retain the frames E, when they are swung outward, the board G, also receiving as previously alluded to the main part A., of the hive when shoved off from the frames'E. The object of having the adjustable boards G H, is that one pair will answer for a whole apiary, as'the frames F, of all the hives may be made precisely similar, and if hives are to be removed for wintering the board D, is all that is required to be moved with the hive. The holes g, that are not in use may be plugged loosely with pins.

I am aware that movable frames E, have been previously used in bee hives and I do not claim such broadly or irrespective of the arrangement herein before described, but,

I do claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The arrangement of the movable frames E, inY combination with the sliding hive A., and adjustable side e, substantially as, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The arrangement ofn the adjustableY yboards Gr, H, and D, placed on a frame F, when said parts are constructed as described and used in connection with the sliding hive A, for the purpose specified.

T. S. UNDERHILL.

i Witnesses:

CLINTON A. MOON, F. M. MooN. 

